Sunburned
by Imprisoned Fire
Summary: Ayumu always has a habit of taking a nap in the afternoon. Unfortunately, he didn’t take into account the possible and most likely results of taking a nap on the beach. “Did you forget to put on sun block?” AyumuxHiyono
1. Sunburned

Disclaimer: I do not own Spiral -Suiri no Kizuna-, or any of the related characters. They belong to Kyou Shinodaira and Eita Mizuno. I am just a fan with a little too much time on her hands.

This is something I just had to write. If I didn't, it would have driven me crazy. And last I checked, being crazy is frowned upon. : )

And before you ask why am I writing something new before finishing my other stories, well, if I don't keep writing my skills will weaken. So to keep practicing and hopefully get some more inspiration going I have written this. I hope you enjoy it.

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_Chapter One: Sunburned_

_Do not prejudge a situation before it has ended. Sometimes what we think is a pain in the rear is really a wonderful opportunity waiting to be embraced.  
--Imprisoned Fire, 10/22/07_

Ayumu knew something wasn't right the instant he started to wake up. It was that type of knowledge that you knew just, but at the same time couldn't quite place. He didn't even know why he was waking up. He felt drained. He was sure he could sleep longer, but something was dragging him out of slumber.

He finally realized what was waking him up. He felt abnormally hot, and his skin felt like a fire was licking against it. He knew immediately, though, that the thought was illogical. Illogical because a really fire would hurt way more then this, but it seemed like a good possibility to his sleepy mind.

Ayumu slowly moved his hand, thinking of bring it up to rub his eyes and possibly help in waking himself up. His moves, however, were stopped by the hot, stinging pain that erupted from brushing his arm against the warm sand beneath him. Since when did sand hurt so much?

. . .sand?

_Huh?_

His eyebrows knitted together in thought (successfully causing that hot sting to spread along his face as well). Why was there sand underneath him? The last thing he remembered was taking a nap. That fact its self wasn't new, but he had a nagging feeling he was forgetting something. He knew if he remembered, it would explain the sand and possibly the pain as well.

He felt strange. His skin felt like it was too tight for his body and just bending a finger hurt. He thought about rolling over, trying to remember what it was that his sleepy mind had forgotten. He even got half way turned, but then swore as hot-white pain shot through his back and he decided it was best to stay where he was.

It was vague, but a memory finally started to come through the fog in his mind. He could almost hear words, but couldn't understand them. He was sure it had something to do with summer almost starting, and it went on onto the weekend. . .

Then it clicked. Hiyono had wanted to go to the beach, and had dragged him along with her despite any and all protests not to go. Tired of being forced into the cold water he had settled down on a towel and must have dozed off. Another realization hit him, one that explained the burning pain he felt along his skin.

_Crap._

Ayumu opened his eyes, and then snapped them closed when he found the sun shining directly in his face. As if waking up in pain wasn't enough, the sun had to try to blind him. He forced himself to sit up, hissing as his skin stretched and stung. The beach umbrella he had fell asleep under had fallen over, shading only his legs from the hot sun above. That explained why only his upper body seemed to hurt, seeing as the only thing he was wearing was his swimming shorts.

He looked around, finding the rest of the beach almost deserted. Judging from the position of the sun, he would guess it was sometime in the late afternoon, probably close to dinnertime. He was slightly curious as to why Hiyono hadn't woken him up already.

The thought only stayed in his mind for a second though as he was remind about his current state. The hot sun beating down on him made him feel like he was burning alive. He reached over and picked up the umbrella, putting it back in its right position in the sand. At least now he was out of the sun.

"Ayumu!"

A groan escaped his mouth at the all too familiar voice. He could feel a slight throbbing in his head, probably from too much sun, spike at the sound of the voice. He turned his head, raising a hand to block the glare from the sun in order to see clearly.

He managed to make out Hiyono's form coming towards him, still dressed in the simple yellow one-piece swimsuit. He had just woke up, was suffering from burning pain and a headache on the way, and had no desire at all to deal with his overly-cheerful friend.

"It's about time you woke up," she stated, stopping beside the towel smiling. He realized her smile almost seemed as bright as the sun. Now that she was closer, most of the glare was blocked and he could see her more clearly. Her honey gold hair was pulled from its usual braids into a single ponytail in the back. It looked damp, meaning she must have got out of the water only a few minutes ago. He saw she was holding two different ice cream cones in her hand. One looked like chocolate, nearly finished, and the other was vanilla.

"I was just coming to wake you up. You've been sleeping for a few hours now." She ducked under the umbrella, sitting beside him on the part of the towel less covered in sand. She then handed him the vanilla ice cream, which he took without much thought. His mind's front priority was to either stop the pain or go back to sleep. It was only after he stared at it for a minute, not hungry in the least, that he handed it back to her.

"I don't want it," he mumbled, wondering why she even got it for him. He wasn't as found of sweets as Hiyono was, especially when he first woke up.

"I thought you wouldn't," she said, finishing the last few bites of her own before taking his, "but then I thought you might be hungry and got it any way." She gladly started eating the ice cream, actually happy he didn't want it. She was starving and it was a thirty minute drive back to the city, a drive she had no desire being hungry during.

Ayumu turned away as she started eating, staring off at the deserted beach. He ran his hand through his hair, thinking he might have to take a shower when he got home. It felt like there might be sand in his hair, which made his scalp itch like crazy. He ran his hand along his face to rub his eyes, forgetting the burning pain and nearly hissing when it shot through his face.

Hiyono heard the quick intake of breath next to her. She looked up, curious as to what was wrong with the boy beside her. He was staring straight ahead, a look of pure discomfort on his face. A worried frown slowly made its way onto her face as she looked closer at him, noticing something she hadn't before.

Feeling her eyes staring at him, he glanced up at Hiyono. A frown had replaced her smile, making him turn his head completely. She seemed to be focusing on his face, her golden eyes filled with a sudden concern.

"Ayumu… your face looks red, are you alright?" She moved closer, putting her hand against his forehead as if to check for a fever. Her eyebrows shot up in wonder when he jerked back, slightly wincing. Her frown deepened. He didn't feel like he had a fever, but his face definitely didn't look like that when they got here. Her eyes traveled down, realizing his neck and chest were just as bad, if not worse, a red.

In fact, they almost looked like…

"Ayumu, did you forget to put on sun block?"

_. . . Crap._

He knew he had forgotten something when he lay down. It had crossed his mind just as he was falling asleep, but hadn't clicked enough to wake him back up.

He shifted his eyes back to the beach, that headache feeling like it was going to get worse. How could he have forgotten to put on sun block? It was almost a rule that when going to the beach (or any where in the sun) you had to put on sun block. But then, this was the first time in a long time that he had been down to the beach.

And he had kind of hoped to keep it that way. He didn't really care for the beach, and now he was caring for it even less.

"Ayumu?"

He realized he hadn't answered her yet. He shifted slightly in place before answering with a low, "Hn".

"Ayumu!" He winced slightly as she raised her voice. That sharp pain in his head spiked again. Couldn't she see he was in enough pain due to the sunburn? He didn't need a headache on top of it.

"How could you have fallen asleep and got such a bad sunburn? Doesn't it hurt?"

"It doesn't hurt that much," he lied. It felt like a dozen or more pins were stabbing him repeatedly, even if he held still. She, however, didn't need to know that.

Hiyono, however, knew that wasn't true before he even finished talking. She narrowed her eyes slightly before reaching over and giving his arm a sharp poke. The action made him both wince and cry out in pain. The spot on his arm where she poked him turned chalk white before fading back to red.

"It doesn't hurt that much, huh?" She said, mimicking him. She glared at him for a moment before her face softened. He was rubbing the spot where she just poked him, a dark stare on his face. She started to scolded herself in her mind. She shouldn't have done that. She knew sunburns hurt and he didn't need her making it worse.

"We should go, Ayumu." He looked over at her as she spoke. She was starting to pack the beach items she brought. "You should get some ointment on those burns before they get worse."

Worse? The sunburn could get worse? Although he would rather stay in place until he was more awake, that thought got him moving. Trying to ignore the pain that prickled on every inch of his skin, he hoisted himself off the ground. Hiyono followed, picking up the towel to put it in one of the few bags shad had brought. He grabbed the umbrella, leaving it open as he grabbed one of the bags to carry. At least this way he could stay out of the sun.

His legs felt unsteady as they made their way across the beach, and the shifting sand underfoot didn't help his sense of balance. The umbrella also didn't help. It was heavier then it seemed and not exactly easy to walk with it opened. He was glad when they left the beach and were on hard ground, heading down the path towards the street. The cement felt good beneath his feet.

A number of cars and vehicles drove down the street when they finally came to it. Hiyono threw the last of her ice cream in the garbage that they passed; saying something about sand getting in it, before going over to try and call a taxi.

Knowing it wouldn't take long, he closed the umbrella. Not even a full minute passed before he was irritated by the sun against his skin. Now that he thought about it, he was sure he had brought a shirt to wear and wondered what had happened to it.

Oh, that's right. Hiyono had got it wet when she tried to get him to go swimming with her, which is why he had moved farther up the beach to sit under the umbrella. It was probably at the bottom of one of the bags, still wet.

"Ayumu! Lets go!" He blinked, realizing he had zoned out. A taxi was pulled up beside the curb, the trunk popped as Hiyono put most of their things in it. He walked over, putting the umbrella and bag in the trunk as well. Hiyono was already getting in the car as he shut the trunk. He waked over to the other door a got in, thankful to be out of the sun and heat.

Ayumu didn't listen as she told the driver where to go. He leaned back on the seat, closing his eyes. He planned on resting during the drive there. He still felt drowsy and had a feeling that if his back didn't hurt so much he would fall back to sleep. At least the headache was starting to cease. The cooler air must be helping.

Hiyono looked over at him as he rested. His sunburn really did look bad. She hoped it wouldn't start to blister. Her eyes traveled down, looking at the darker red along his shoulders and collarbone. She always hated it when she got a sunburn; one reason she was so obsessed with remembering suntan lotion. That and to lower her risk for skin cancer in the future. Her eyes lowered, following the red burn that seemed to cover his whole upper body. How Ayumu of all people could have forgotten to put on sun block escaped her. He just wasn't the type of person to forget something like that.

It finally clicked in her mind that she was staring at his bare chest. She blinked before jerking her eyes away, staring out the window. She could feel her face turning pink even as she tried to focus on the flashing buildings outside. She wasn't sure why she was nervous all of a sudden. This wasn't the first time they had been swimming together, so she had seen him without a shirt on before. She glanced back over at him. His head had fallen to the side, giving her a good view of his face. She could clearly see the red burns across his cheeks and nose. She could even see it hidden under his bangs. A look of discomfort could be seen right along the edge of his face. It was almost unnoticeable. If she didn't know how to look for it, she wouldn't have seen it.

She felt a ping of guilt as she examined the burns. If she had woke him up sooner they probably wouldn't be so bad. However, when she found him sleeping he just looked so tired and peaceful that she couldn't bring herself to wake him up. It was probably a nice change to be sleeping on warm sand rather then the concrete roof of their school. So she had let him sleep. Though the umbrella hadn't fell over by then.

She looked back out the window, weighing her thoughts in her mind. Although she knew it wasn't her fault, she still felt responsible somehow. She stared past the scenery, lost in thought. She should do something for him, she thought. But there wasn't much she could do. She looked back at him. What was probably irritating him the most was the pain. She remembered her last sunburn. It wasn't a very pleasant experience. And she had only got her shoulders sunburned! She couldn't imagine having her whole upper body burned. There had to be something she could do to help him feel better.

He started to shift his position, though almost immediately stopped as a look of pain crossed his face. She realized his back was probably burned pretty bad too. It was a wonder he could even lean against the seat. If it was her, she would be leaning forward until she had some medicine put on it.

That's when the idea came to her. She had to look away from him, almost laughing from the thought of it. But when she really thought about it, it made sense. She looked out the window again, her lips press tightly together. That might work, though it could just as easily be considered taking advantage of the situation. She pushed that thought away, doing her best not to think of it that way. After all, she just wanted to help him.

But that didn't mean she couldn't have a bit of fun while she was at it.

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Author Note: Well, there's the first chapter. I'm kind of nervous since I'm not sure how it turned out. Hopefully, I didn't do horrible.

I hope you well review. I really do care what you thought about it, even if it's negative. And I accept anonymous reviews, so even if you don't have an account you can tell me what you think so far. So please, tell me what you think! If I misspelled something or they seemed out-of-character don't be afraid to say so, those are actually some of the things I worry of doing and I will thank you again and again for pointing them out.


	2. Temptation to Tease

Author Note updated 2/18/08

After its been up for a couple of months and a few modifications, I am now more or less satisfied with this chapter (I think I just worry too much...).

It's my first time writing anything like this, so I hope they are in-character (_please_ let them be in-character). Even after fixing up the chapter, I'm still on the look out for things I did wrong. If you spot any mistakes, please don't hesitate to tell me.

(I shall now ignore the voice of my insecure self. It's pain to listen to it anyway.)

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Chapter Two: Temptation to Tease

The ride was in relative silence. Ayumu was on the edge of sleep, being kept awake only by the constant stinging from his burns. Hiyono stayed quiet to let him rest. She remembered her last sunburned quite clearly and knew that Ayumu was probably irritated. Plus, he had just woke up, and very few people weren't irritated to wake up to a sunburn. If he wanted to rest, then she was going to let him.

Also, she couldn't seem to stop glancing over at him. She was glad he was trying to sleep; he couldn't catch her staring at him if he was.

Ayumu felt the car come to a stop. When the engine died he realized they must be there. He reluctantly opened his eyes; feeling like the drive should have lasted longer. Hiyono was already opening her door and getting out. He let out a sigh, grabbing the handle and opening his door. The sunburn still hurt, but he was used enough to the pain now that he didn't wince every time he moved.

The driver was also out, in the middle of unlocking the trunk so they could get their things. Hiyono was still standing by her door, digging through her bag for the money. As she was the one with the bag, he had given her his share of the taxi fee before they left. Since she was busy paying he started to pull things out of the trunk. He really didn't want to, and his burning skin sure didn't appreciate it, but he wasn't going to leave all the work to Hiyono. Not only was it not right but she would probably smack him for it, sunburned or not. And although she never hit him hard enough to really hurt, his sunburned skin would probably take it differently this time. That was definitely not something he wanted to experience.

He heard Hiyono thanking the driver. She then ran over beside him to get the last few things out of the trunk, or thing rather as the umbrella was all he couldn't grab. She stared at it for a minute before pulled it out. She turned towards him as she shut the trunk, trying to hold out one of her hands.

"I can take a few of those bags, Ayumu. You shouldn't have to carry them all."

"No." He stepped on to the sidewalk. The taxi's engine started behind them, leaving. "That umbrella is heavier then it seems. You would lose your balance if you tried to carry anything with it."

It was true. Even as Hiyono tried to balance it in one hand she had to keep grabbing it or risk falling. She tried a few more times before giving up, walking in silence next to him with a slight scowl on her face. He knew she just wanted to help, and he was slightly regretting not accepting it. But she had carried most of the stuff to the car earlier.

He looked up at the building as they walked. He blinked a few times before realizing they were at Hiyono's apartment. He found himself feeling a bit surprised. They usually went to his place and rarely came by hers. He had only been inside her home once or twice in fact.

"Most of the stuff is mine," Hiyono said beside him, seeming to sense his realization, "So I figured it would be easier to stop here first. That way I won't have to carry everything here. Plus, doesn't Madoka have the day off?" He turned towards her, frowning slightly. There was something in her voice and the way her eyes suddenly started to glitter that had him uneasy.

"Yes." He didn't feel any better when he saw the smile that came across her face.

"I didn't think you would want to see Madoka right now, not until you have some medicine put on those burns and they aren't bothering you as much." She looked like she was about to laugh. "She'll probably be interested to know how you got such a bad sunburn." His frown deepened, a thought that had been on the edge of his mind becoming clear. He could already see Hiyono and Madoka teasing him about forgetting to put on sun block. Neither of them were going to let him forget it for a long time.

He stared straight ahead as they climbed the stairs, trying to ignore Hiyono's silent laughing. He was going to have to work on a good excuse to not go to the beach next time Hiyono went. He had never really cared for it to begin with, and this just gave him one more reason not to. He had no desire at all to be reminded of this little incident, one he was sure Hiyono at least would remember for a while.

Hiyono stepped ahead of him as they got to the door. She put the umbrella down against the wall in order to get her key out. She glanced over at Ayumu as she unlocked the door, unable to stop herself from smiling at the dark look on his face. She knew she shouldn't have teased him about forgetting the sun block. He was probably scolding himself enough as it was. However, the temptation had been too great to stand.

She was still a little surprised by it. She would have never guessed Ayumu would forget something as important as sun block. But then Ayumu didn't go to the beach that often and if someone wasn't use to remembering about something then it would be understandable if they forgot about it.

She remembered her thoughts from earlier as she pushed open the door. She grabbed the umbrella and quickly went in. She just put the umbrella up against the hall wall, figuring she could put it up later. Her mind was working a few steps ahead. _Now where did we put it?_ She wondered, pulling off her sandals.  
_  
_She looked back at Ayumu as he shut the door, the scowl still on his face. She saw him glance at the bags in his hands. "You can just leave those there," she said, gesturing at the bags as she waved her hand at the floor area near the umbrella. She started to walk down the hall. "I can put it all up later."

Ayumu put the bags down along the wall. He then kicked off his shoes, only now realizing that sand had got in them. He brushed it off his feet before going down the hall. Hiyono was already out of sight. He could see light flooding out from an open door down the hall. The sounds of Hiyono searching through something came down the hall as well. He looked around, the apartment feeling as lively as Hiyono's personality. Sunshine was pouring out from the doorway to the living room. He glanced in the room as he walked by, finding that the blinds and curtains were wide open. The sun seemed to reflect off the white walls, making the room brighter then it really was and making his headache spike. It even seemed to reach the kitchen. He didn't even have to turn on the light as he walked into the room. The sun light lit up the room just fine.

Ayumu walked over to one of the cupboards. Opening it, he pulled out a glass to get himself some water. As the water ran, he wondered for a moment what Hiyono was looking for. Then he let the thought fade from his mind. He was still too drowsy to think about things he didn't need to.

He didn't realize exactly how thirsty he was until he felt the cold water on his dry throat. No wonder he had a headache. He probably got it from dehydration. He drank all of the water, then started to fill the glass again.

Hiyono could hear the water running a second time as she searched through the bathroom cabinet. She realized then that he hadn't had anything to drink or eat for a few hours now. _Of course his thirsty, _she though. _And he'll probably be hungry soon too. _He should have eaten that ice cream earlier; at least it would have held him over until dinner.

She finally found the bottle she was looking for in the far back and pulled it out. She would have to look for something they could eat after his burns were treated. She shut the light off as she left the room. She headed towards the living room, as it was the only place other then the kitchen to find him. She highly doubted he would want to sit in a hard, uncomfortable kitchen chair with his back so sunburnt.

Sure enough, he was in the living room. Hiyono paused before entering the room, watching him. He was sitting on the couch, staring up at the ceiling in thought. He seemed to be watching the shadows that moved along the ceiling, cast there by a plant hanging in the window. There was still a look of irritation on his face. A couple of the blinds were now closed, blocking a good amount of the sunshine. She knew Ayumu was the one that closed them, as she left them open whenever she could. The bright light was probably one of the things causing that look on his face. She knew he probably didn't care for the overwhelming amount of sunshine, but it was one of the things she liked about this place. This room always seemed so bright and open, even in the winter and especially in the summer.

She thought for moment, questioning her next action. She couldn't keep standing here, least Ayumu look up and realize what she was doing. She lightly chewed on her bottom lip before walking forward.

"I found it." She claimed happily as she entered the room. Ayumu looked up as Hiyono walked in. She had a fairly large bottle in her hand, filled with a clear gel. At some point she had put on a large T-shirt over her swimsuit and her hair was now down, drying in soft waves. He noticed the hair tie was on her wrist, waiting for the moment when it would be needed again.

"We haven't used it in a while so it was in the very back of the cabinet." She explained, sitting beside him.

"What is it?" He asked, not recognizing the clear gel.

"Aloe vera," she squirted some of the gel onto her hand, "It'll help relieve the pain by hydrating the skin and reduce the irritation." Trust Hiyono to know that. Now that he thought about it, he had once heard someone say something about that. He might have even used it on his last sunburn; but that was so long ago he couldn't recall.

"Turn around, please." He didn't give the request any thought as he turned his back towards her. His still felt too drowsy to think about much right now.

He nearly jumped in surprise when he felt her hands against his skin. His body immediately stiffened and all the fog in his mind lifted in an instant. He was momentarily stunned before jerking away. He twisted around, facing Hiyono and giving her a look that said, quite clearly, "What do you think you're doing?"

Hiyono stared back at him, not at all surprised that he had pulled away. She had actually expected it, and would have been shocked and worried if he hadn't. She lowered her hands, giving him her own look of exasperation as she answered his unspoken question.

"The burns on your back need treated, and you know you can't reach them," she explained. She had realized in the car that he wouldn't be able to reach and had figured she could just offer to do it. "So unless you want to spend the rest of the day with your back in pain you'll have to let me do it."

He stared at her for a minute, a small war raging in his mind. His better judgment told him to decline. His back wasn't burnt that bad and he could live. But then, why should he feel so nervous at the idea? Then he thought of the car ride here, of the constant pain in his back from something just touching it.

"Please Ayumu? I just want to help."

And although he wasn't comfortable with the idea, she did have point. He couldn't put the aloe on his back himself.

Finally, he turned back around, the desire for pain relief beating out his judgment. He could almost hear her grinning with success. He went stiff again as she started to rub in the aloe. The gel felt cool against his skin and he could already feel the burn starting to subside.

The movements of her hands were gentle, almost slow. They were moving in circles, rubbing the aloe into his skin. He could feel his body slowly starting to relax under her touch. He lightly chewed on his tongue, already questioning the situation.

"Still, it was fun to go to the beach. I had a good time." Hiyono said, trying to make a conversation as she put more gel in her hand. The silence made her a little too nervous. Even if she was the only one talking it helped her relax a little. "You really should have stayed up, Ayumu. The waves started to pick up after you left. It was really fun."

"If I had, my sunburn would be even worse." He pictured the seawater and mentally winced. Water reflected sunlight, which would have made his sunburn a dozen times worse.

"I guess you're right," she started to spread the gel farther down his back, "The sunburn would have been really serious then." Everywhere she had rubbed the aloe in felt remarkably better. The burning sensation had started to die and the skin no longer felt like it was too tight. It still felt sore, but it didn't feel as bad as before.

However, everywhere her hand moved a tingling heat spread in its wake, one that was different from the sunburn. He shoved the thought into the back of his mind when it registered. That wasn't something he wanted to think about.

Hiyono was saying something else, but he wasn't paying attention. Her hands had left his back and were now massaging the skin on his arms. It clicked almost instantly in his mind that she didn't need to do that, _shouldn't _be doing that. But at the same time he couldn't move his body to stop her. He felt his fingers twitch when she came down to his wrist, brushing against his hand. He tried to relax as she moved on to the other arm.

__

Calm down. There's no reason for you to be getting so tense.

Now he was lying to himself.

"Um, Ayumu?" He snapped himself back to reality when he heard his name. He looked up at Hiyono, seeing that she was now standing up. He hoped she hadn't realized he wasn't listening and wishing he had been. He really didn't feel like seeing how much her puppet punch would hurt against his burnt skin.

He felt a different type of tension fill his body as he watched her face. He could clearly see the hesitance in her eyes. She shifted the bottle back and forth in her hands, her eyes following it. It wasn't like Hiyono to delay, and he suddenly wondered what it was that had her so nervous.

She stared at the bottle few seconds longer. Then she looked up at him, smiling brightly, and he wondered if he might have just imagined it.

"If you wouldn't mind me treating all the places you were sunburned, Ayumu, you need to turn around and lay down."

He saw her eyes glance at his chest. Her smile faltered slightly before she became interested in the aloe again. He could see her face turning a light shade of pink, and he knew immediately why she was so nervous. He felt his own face trying to warm, and was slightly glad it was already red from the sunburn.

"Or if you can finish applying it yourself. That's fine." She moved the bottle back and forth. She wasn't even sure why she was asking. Of course he would want to finish it himself! He only let her do his back because he couldn't reach. In fact, if he had said no and just lived with pain, she wouldn't have been surprised.

But he did let her put the aloe on his arms. She hadn't planned on doing that; her hands had just started to move down them, and when he didn't stop her she figured she could just finish them. She glanced up at his face, suddenly wondering if the sun had given him a fever. Nope, he looked fine aside from the sunburn.

"I can go and see if there's anything to eat," she suggested, now holding the bottle still in her hands, "You're probably hungry by now, and I'm sure there is something that would be easy to make." She looked up at him, focusing on his face while waiting to hear what he wanted her to do.

His thoughts spun slightly. The _logical _thing for him to do would be to take the aloe and then send her to the kitchen. That's what he told himself to do. The sun, however, must have fried whichever part of his mind controlled his rational actions. Because rather then the logical response he turned and stretched out along the couch.

He heard a rather surprised "oh" above him. Even he was surprised by the action, more so then he let even himself know. He closed his eyes, berating his choice even before she started to move.

Hiyono's heart decided it wanted to jump up in her throat as she opened the bottle again. She looked at his face as she squeezed more gel on to her hand. His eyes were closed, his face seeming to become increasingly tense.

She was tense herself, unsure about this. The thought from earlier had entered her mind again. Her first reaction was to try and forget it as she rubbed her hands together, spreading the aloe across them. She was already pushing the edge of luck and shouldn't push any more. She thought back to the hall, and how she shouldn't have teased him about the sunburn.

However, just like then, the temptation was too great to stand.

Again, she was glad his eyes were closed. Otherwise he probably would have got up and left the room at the mischievous grin that came across her face.

Ayumu felt the hesitant touch of her fingertips against the top of his shoulder before her whole hand pressed against it. A slight shiver ran through his body as her hand started to move. He had never let Hiyono touch him before, at least not like this. Whenever she touched him before it was usually only for a moment and there had always been a barrier of cloth between him and her hands. Now though her hands were in direct contact with his skin, and it was a sensation he had never experienced before.

Her hands moved uncertainly at first before gaining a more confident pace. She seemed more cautious as she rubbed the skin along his neck and across his collarbone. The burns there were worse and much more sensitive then the skin on his back. He felt like his body was trying to stiffen and relax at the same time when her fingers started to move lower. He felt his breath catch in his throat as she lightly brushed her fingers down his chest.

That tingling heat was spreading through him again, and it seemed to burn even more then it did on his back. It felt like his insides were twisting and withering like a beheaded snake. He realized his breath had started to quicken and instantly tried to calm it. He was sure she could feel the rise and fall of his chest quicken from his breathing. If she did, though, she ignored it.

Instead her hands moved even lower, running softly down his abdomen. His muscles tightened, small spasms shooting through his body. The heat seemed to get worse as it steadily spread through his whole body. His hands curled into fists, his nails digging into his skin. Her fingers moved slowly around his navel, agonizingly slow.

He suddenly wished she would stop, or to find the command for his body to stop her himself. He wasn't comfortable with these sensations, with the thoughts trying to enter his mind, and he felt so very stupid for letting her do this. He realized he had acted too complacently. They had been alone dozen of times before now. It was something he was use too, something he didn't even think about when he was with her.

Now though, he was thinking about it. He bit down on his tongue, about to stop her. The thought, however, died a quick death as his full attention went to her fingers, now trailing along the bottom of his stomach. His body went rigid as her fingers lightly traced the skin. Then they went even lower, brushing against the edge of the waistband.

Ayumu moved without thinking. His eyes snapped open as he bolted up, quickly grabbing both her wrists and jerking them away. Hiyono let out a small squeak as he did, jumping in surprise. He was sure she would have moved away if he didn't have a hold her. His heart felt like it was pounding in his throat. He swallowed, trying to calm down as he watched her face closely.

She was looking down at him, her eyes wide in surprise. An innocent look covered her face. To a complete strange it would have looked believable. He, however, knew her all to well, and he knew that look. She wore it all the time after eating his lunch, or when she would tease him before telling him what new information she had found.

Tease. . .

His stomach tied its self in a knot. That amused glitter in her eyes was too familiar not to notice. He tried to dismiss the thought as soon as it came. He knew Hiyono, knew that energetic childlike behavior she always had, knew what to expect of her. She wasn't that kind of person, she didn't act like that.

But even as he continued to watch her face, trying to assure himself that he had just overreacted, he could see that amused glitter in her eyes. A sense of confusion and slight irritation fell over him.

_Is-is she teasing_ _me?!_

Part of him kept saying it was just his imagination. But the other part, growing more alert by the minute, was starting to believe she might have been teasing him. She had never done anything like to him before. Ever.

And why would she? It wasn't like that between them…

Was it?

"Ayumu?" Just as the question came to mind, her voice brought him back to reality. Her face now held a questioning (though, still amused) look. He realized she probably wanted an explanation for his sudden actions. He thought for a moment, suddenly unsure of what to say.

She could almost see his thoughts working behind his brown eyes. His actions had been too quick for her to read, and they had nearly made her jump out of her skin. He still had a hold of her wrists, his grip almost too tight.

She wondered if she went too far. She knew before she started she should stop. And when she did start, she knew she should have hurried and finished. But she also knew that she rarely got this close to him and would probably never have the opportunity again.

And once she started, she couldn't think of anything rational enough to make herself stop. She had never seen Ayumu like that before, she never though she _would_. Seeing his breath quicken like that had her own heart pounding and feeling his muscles tense just by touching him sent a tingling sensation up her arms. And watching him when he stopped her had her struggling not to smile.

Now though, common sense was chewing her out. She shouldn't have went that far, shouldn't have dragged it out like that. This was Ayumu; a sunburnt, irritated Ayumu. If she thought for even a second that it would turn out okay, she was digging her own grave. It was a wonder he hadn't started yelling at her the instant she started.

Speaking of scolding, she realized his response was taking longer then it should. She focused on his face. His eyes looked darker, as if lost in thought. She could see the twin wrinkles showing faintly along his forehead. She raised an eyebrow, suddenly wondering what he was actually thinking.

"Ayumu?"

Saying his name seemed to bring him back. His eyes lightened and the "twinkles" disappeared as if they were never there. He opened his mouth, and she braced herself for the words.

"My face got burned pretty bad too," he said suddenly, "You could put some aloe on it."

Hiyono stared at him for a minute, her mouth starting to feel dry. She repeated the words in her head a few times before she was sure she understood him. That wasn't what he was supposed to say, _that wasn't what he was suppose to say!  
_  
"Uh, yeah. I can do that."

_Where the hell did that come from?_

Ayumu let go of her wrists, his own words echoing in his mind. That wasn't what he had planned on saying, what he had wanted to say. He had planned on taking that offer for food, to say he could apply the last of the aloe himself. But then that comment on his face came out before he even realized he was saying it.

And why? He felt himself grow tense again as she sat down beside him. Why did he say that? Why, when he was feeling more uneasy by the minute, did he ask her to do that? He knew he had a tendency to do things at random, but this?

…_Was it? _That question repeated in his mind and his anxiety grew even more. He couldn't say he wasn't aware of the possibility, but it was one he hadn't actually thought about.

He was thinking about it now though, even if he really didn't want to.

The click of the bottle lid brought him back to the situation at hand. He watched Hiyono as she sat the bottle back on the table, more aloe in her hand. He tried to think of something, anything, he could say to change this. But nothing was coming to mind.

Hiyono turned towards him, pulling her legs up on the couch and folding them beneath her. She hesitated, making him wonder if she was going to change her mind, before reaching out with one hand to push aside his bangs. The smell of aloe instantly filled his nose, along with an under tone of something else. He felt another shiver run down his spine as her fingers brushed against his face. She started at his forehead, stopping only to get more aloe on her fingers.

His breath hitched in his throat as she moved closer. They were way too close for comfort. His mouth felt dry and the room seemed to grow warmer. He could feel her warm breath beat softly against his face. She was close enough for him to notice a faint set of freckles along her nose, notice her eyes trailing after her fingers as she watched to make sure she didn't get any aloe in his eyes. He realized what it was he was smelling mixed with the aloe. Lilies, or something closely resembling the flower. He breathed in the scent again before he could stop himself, suddenly wishing the scent of aloe was absence.

Her fingers mover down to his cheek. Hiyono could feel her heart pounding in her chest, increasing with each second. She tried to keep her eyes on her finger tips, using the excuse of making sure she didn't get the aloe somewhere she shouldn't.

In reality, she was just trying to distract herself from exactly how close she was to his face as she moved her fingers across his nose. Distract herself from the fact that he was still shirtless, that she was just inches away from him, that his breath seemed to be getting quicker as it beat against her face, that his eyes seemed to be following her with every move...

It was probably the sun shining on her back, but she was starting to feel extremely warm.

Her fingers started to move down the curve of his jaw. A light gust of her breath played along his neck, and Ayumu barely stopped the quick intake of air. He was sure she was over lapping places where she had already put the aloe, as if to be sure she had rub some in there. It felt like electricity shot through his body when her finger ran along the base of his ear, the skin stinging slightly before soothing.

He knew he should stop her, knew it before she even started. She was using both her hands now, working the aloe in with small circles. The action had light jolts shooting through his body. He knew he should, _knew _it.

So then why wasn't he?

He felt his pulse jump as he watched her face, watched that look from before returning to her eyes. That question of why just had to keep coming back. Even as he pushed the thought back, he was answering it in the back of his mind.

He didn't have a chance to further think about the thought or the answer. Hiyono's hands paused before one came back to his face, her fingers starting to trace the outline of his lips. Her left hand was still on his neck, resting on the area where it connected to his shoulder. He didn't bother trying to stop the warm shiver this time.

Then his eyes met hers and held. Her fingers came to a stop above his mouth, hovering there. He was sure he could feel the warmth from them. He stiffened as that tingling sensation spread through him again, this time paralyzing his body. He couldn't look away. No matter what he told himself, he couldn't tear his gaze away.

Then, suddenly, Hiyono stood up. She stopped a few steps from the couch, her back towards him. Her hands found the edge of her shirt and started twisting the fabric. "Since your burns are treated," her voice sounded shaky to her and she swallowed, trying to steady it, "Um, why don't we find something to eat." She picked up the bottle of aloe, planning on putting it up and needing something for her hands to do. She looked over her shoulder at him, giving him a quick smile.

"I'm pretty hungry myself. If I hurry, I can make us something before it gets much later." She didn't wait for a response. As soon as she was done talking she left into the kitchen.

Ayumu watched her leave in silence. His heart was beating so hard it felt like it would never slow down. He lightly rubbing his neck where her hand had been. What just happened? More then her touch or the situation all together, that single glance was enough to cause a wave of heat to tingle through him. A wave that was a lot stronger then the others before it.

Noises started to drift in from the kitchen; Hiyono going through things in the cupboards. He stared at the doorway, lowering his hand. He found himself wondering why she had suddenly pulled back. He had seen her face, saw the look that flickered through her eyes. She had felt the same thing he did.

He ran his hand through his hair, just barely catching himself from running it over his face. His body was still tense from what had almost happened, what he almost did. A part of him was glad she had stood up and made the suggesting of dinner, but another emotion swirled over him, counteracting the relief. He lowered his hand, staring hard at the wall. Did he feel… disappointed?

Why though? He looked back at the kitchen door, as if that would answer his question. He was starting to find that word, _"why"_, very aggravating. Many of his now spinning thoughts featured that word.

Why did he feel this growing disappointment, like something he had really wanted just got snatched away from him? Why did he still feel the sensation of her fingers against his skin, like she was still touching him? Why was he starting to wish he had grabbed her arm, stopped her from leaving? Why did he-

He stood up, pushing the thought back. His skin stung slightly before relaxing, still fairly sore. _Too much. _He thought, rubbing his temples despite the pain. _This is just too much. _He skin still hurt from the sunburn, his headache had just barely faded, he was irritated and had no desire to think further on these thoughts.  
_  
_Trying to find something to distract himself, he focused on the fact that Hiyono was making dinner. The meaning behind that thought finally clicked. He hesitated for a moment before walking towards the kitchen. He didn't know what she was going to try and make. And although he didn't really care at the moment he, he didn't feel like dealing with Hiyono's cooking. There was too much going through his mind right now, and he needed something to do.

* * *

Author's Note: Please tell me I didn't do too bad. I don't have much experience in this genre. I only have books and my imagination to go on, so I really hope I didn't do anything wrong. And I really hope they are in-character. Any advice you have would be most appreciated. If you think they were out of character, then please tell me how you think they would have acted.

I tried to finish this story with an end that is an end but isn't an end. (Does that make sense?) I don't think I succeeded though… Dang.

I really want to put up a third chapter (and I have ideas too) but, I'm not sure how I would (or if I can) write the third chapter. (I'll try)

Thank you's to everyone who has reviewed! It makes me so happy to hear what you think. (Beams) I hope you enjoyed this chapter too. Hopefully, it's better then what I think it is.

Please tell me what you think about this chapter. Knowing people are reading it is nice. But I won't know if you liked it or not or what you think I could do to make it better if you don't review. I can't read minds, particularly ones I can't see.

Though it would be seriously cool if I could XD


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